19 Mar 2024
Wednesday 4 January 2017 - 12:48
Story Code : 245661

Russia, Turkey will not let Syria be 'torn' into zones of influence

Sputnik- The agreements between Russia, Turkey and Iran on the Syrian settlement will not result in the division of Syria, said Turkish political analyst and diplomat Aydin Sezer.

In late-December, Reuters reported citing sources that Syria would be divided intoinformal zones ofregional power influence and Bashar Assad would remain president forat least a few years undera deal betweenMoscow, Ankara and Tehran.

"Such a deal, which would allow regional autonomy withina federal structure controlled byAssad's Alawite sect, is inits infancy, subject tochange and would need the buy-in ofAssad and the rebels and, eventually, the Gulf states and the United States," the report read. According toSezer, the agreements cannot result individing Syria intozones ofinfluence sinceRussia, Turkey and Iran abide byResolution 2254 bythe UN Security Council, according towhich the Syrian territorial integrity must be preserved. Moreover, Russian officials have repeatedly reaffirmed Moscows commitment topreserving the territorial integrity ofSyria.

The updated concept ofRussias foreign policy unveiled inearly-December read that Russia stands forthe peaceful settlement ofthe Syrian conflict, the country's territorial integrity, independence and unity.

"Neither Turkey nor Russia does not want Syria tobe divided. In the long-run Turkey will have tocooperate withRussia onSyria. This is the opinion ofthe Turkish government and ofthe Turkish people," Sezer told RIA Novosti. The expert also noted that despiteAnkaras ongoing calls tooust Assad its actual stance onthe issue is not that hardline asit was before. "The Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) is a more serious threat toTurkey thanBashar Assad. Ankara can agree ona transition period underAssad. But inthe long-run he must leave. This is what Turkey wants," the expert said, adding that Russia and Iran has a different view ofthe situation.

The latest agreements onSyria were unveiled byRussian President Vladimir Putin onDecember 29. The three deals, brokered byRussia, Turkey and Iran, include a ceasefire agreement signed bythe Syrian government and the armed opposition. The second document includes measures aimed atmonitoring the truce, while the third states that signatories are ready tolaunch peace negotiations onresolving the years-long war.

Sezer underscored that the current ceasefire cannot be comprehensive sinceit involves only the so-called moderate opposition. There are various radical forces acrossSyria who did not join the deal.

"However, the ceasefire is a correct step. It is very important that Ankara and Moscow reaches an agreement onconcrete steps onthe Syrian settlement," he added.

The analyst underscored that Russia and Turkey managed towork outa compromised approach toarmed groups operating acrossSyria. "Turkey labelled al-Nusra Front asa terrorist group. Ankara also plays the role ofa mediator betweenMoscow and Syrian moderate opposition groups. One ofthe main issues is the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG). Russia doesnt consider the group terrorist. However, the Turkish military operation innorthern Syria is aimed not only againstDaesh butalso againstYPG. But Moscow doesnt meddle inthe situation," Sezer pointed out. According tothe analyst, there will be no unsolvable problems betweenRussia and Turkey onthe Syrian settlement because the main goal ofthe two countries is "peace and Syrias territorial integrity."

Vitaly Naumkin, an adviser toUN Special Envoy toSyria Staffan de Mistura, stressed that the ceasefire inSyria was possible thanks tocooperation betweenMoscow and Ankara, which, however, does not mean that Syrian will be divided intozones ofinfluence.

He also pointed toTurkey's decision tojoin the fight againstDaesh and al-Nusra Front asa crucial step toreach the agreements. "It's extremely important that Turkey has agreed tojoin the fight againstDaesh and al-Nusra Front. [] If Turkey is able toconvince all armed opposition groups tojoin the ceasefire, while Russia and Iran make similar guarantees If these joint guarantees work, then this will be a milestone [in resolving the Syrian crisis]. But all ofthe abovedoesnt mean that Syria will be torn apart. We will not agree onthat," Naumkin told RIA Novosti.
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